Leader rating

Synopsis

Eight-year-old Alton is treated as special by the community of religious people he lives with on an isolated Texan ranch. With his piercing gaze and hypersensitivity to sound and light, Alton is certainly different to his peers. When he’s smuggled out of the commune and taken on the run, his kidnappers justify their actions as protection against those whom they fear plan to misuse Alton’s mysterious powers. Pursued by the media, the government, and the people who formerly considered him their prophet, Alton and his kidnappers face a tough journey made more difficult by the need for protection against the dangerous effects of direct sunlight.

What our educators say

"It really is a chance for us to open children's minds to the power of film not just as a vehicle for entertainment but also as a way in to understanding their own world and the worlds of people whose lives are very different."